inspired meals created with ingredients on hand (most of the time)

Hunter’s Stew

An oldie but a goodie. One of those dishes that everybody has heard of but can’t remember the last time they had it. Or maybe never had it.

In case you are not familiar with this dish; it is a rustic, Italian meal of peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken in a red sauce. Or rabbit. Or whatever the “hunters” brought home that day. Serve over pasta.

I went ahead and just used chicken.

The Sauce

The freezer supply of homemade red sauce was getting low so I did go ahead and whip up a batch of fresh red sauce for this dish but you could just use your favorite jarred sauce. I am proud to report that the carrots in my mire poix are from my garden. (yes there is that big one that escaped the blade of the chopper – I ate it after the picture was taken) I kept this sauce really fresh and simple: celery, garlic and carrots sautéed real slow till they almost disappeared. Two big cans of crushed tomatoes and the rest of the fresh basil from the garden. Salt and pepper. That was it. Freeze what you don’t use.

The Cacciatore

I made mine extra rustic with large pieces of onion, mushroom and green bell pepper. I also used big pieces of chicken with the skin on that I seared really well first in some bacon fat. (Insert “gasp” here mom.) Saute each item on its own and in batches, then combine and add sauce. Let it finish stove top or in a low oven till chicken is cooked through.

I served it with roasted rosemary potatoes instead of pasta for a hearty change of pace. I shaved some Parmesan on top to be fancy. (But was not very artistic about it!)